VASRD 7346 · Digestive System
Hiatal Hernia VA Disability Rating
A hiatal hernia is part of the stomach pushing up through the diaphragm into the chest, which can cause reflux, chest discomfort and difficulty swallowing. DC 7346 carries no criteria of its own: the entry for hiatal hernia and paraesophageal hernia reads "Rate as esophagus, stricture of (DC 7203)." That means the evaluation is built on a documented esophageal stricture causing dysphagia and on the treatment it requires — dilatation, a stent, surgical correction or a feeding tube — rather than on how severe the reflux symptoms are.
VA Rating Tiers
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 80% | Repeat strictures plus aspiration, undernutrition or weight loss, and surgery or PEG tube |
| 50% | Repeat strictures needing dilation 3+ times a year, steroid dilation, or a stent |
| 30% | Recurring stricture needing dilation no more than twice a year |
| 10% | Stricture controlled by daily medication, otherwise no symptoms |
| 0% | Documented history with no daily symptoms and no daily medication |
How the VA Evaluates Hiatal Hernia
DC 7346 has no ladder of its own. The entry reads "Rate as esophagus, stricture of (DC 7203)", so the percentage comes from DC 7203's five rows: 0 percent for a documented history without daily symptoms or requirement for daily medications; 10 percent where an esophageal stricture requires daily medications to control dysphagia and is otherwise asymptomatic; 30 percent for recurrent stricture causing dysphagia requiring dilatation no more than 2 times per year; 50 percent for recurrent or refractory stricture requiring dilatation 3 or more times per year, dilatation using steroids at least one time per year, or esophageal stent placement; and 80 percent for recurrent or refractory stricture causing dysphagia with aspiration, undernutrition, and/or substantial weight loss as defined by § 4.112(a), together with either surgical correction or a percutaneous esophago-gastrointestinal tube (PEG tube). Note (1) requires the findings to be documented by barium swallow, computerized tomography, or esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Note (4) defines recurrent stricture as the inability to maintain target esophageal diameter beyond 4 weeks after it has been achieved, and Note (5) defines refractory stricture as the inability to achieve target diameter despite receiving no fewer than 5 dilatation sessions performed at 2-week intervals.
Approval outlook
Moderate (~50%) if symptoms are consistent and documented.
Veterans service-connected
518,630 veterans
Typical rating awarded
~30%
Veterans service-connected count from the VBA Annual Benefits Report (FY2025), as of September 30, 2025. Approval outlook and typical rating are Vetrify editorial estimates — not official VA statistics.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •A barium swallow, computerized tomography, or esophagogastroduodenoscopy report — Note (1) names these three studies as how findings must be documented.
- •Dated dilatation records, including any dilatation performed using steroids, and reports for a stent, surgical correction, or a percutaneous esophago-gastrointestinal tube (PEG tube).
- •Prescription records showing daily medication used to control dysphagia, which is what the 10 percent row describes.
- •Weight measurements over time and documentation of any aspiration or undernutrition, named in the 80 percent row alongside substantial weight loss as defined by § 4.112(a).
Strategy Tips
- •The hernia itself does not set the percentage. Get the esophageal consequence documented — whether a stricture is present and whether it causes dysphagia — because DC 7203's rows are written around that.
- •Keep dated records of every dilatation, whether steroids were used, and any stent placement, surgical correction or PEG tube. Those facts separate the 30, 50 and 80 percent rows.
- •Ask that the report state whether the stricture is recurrent under Note (4) or refractory under Note (5). Both terms have defined meanings, and both appear in the rows from 50 percent up.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •An examination that confirms the hernia but never addresses whether an esophageal stricture and dysphagia are present, which leaves the criteria nothing to be applied to.
- •Dilatations mentioned but neither dated nor counted, when the number performed within a year is what separates the 30 and 50 percent rows.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •Filing on symptom severity — heartburn, regurgitation, dietary limits — which is not what DC 7203's rows measure, and DC 7346 is rated on those rows.
- •Leaving procedure history out of the file, since dilatation counts, steroid dilatation, stent placement, surgical correction and PEG tube placement are the facts the compensable rows name.
Onset Patterns
- •Hiatal hernias often worsen with age, obesity, or physical strain, including heavy lifting that increases abdominal pressure.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Hiatal Hernia. Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Common questions about Hiatal Hernia
- Is Hiatal Hernia a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Hiatal Hernia under VASRD diagnostic code 7346 (Digestive System). A hiatal hernia is part of the stomach pushing up through the diaphragm into the chest, which can cause reflux, chest discomfort and difficulty swallowing. DC 7346 carries no criteria of its own: the entry for hiatal hernia and paraes…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Hiatal Hernia?
- Possible VA ratings for Hiatal Hernia are 80%, 50%, 30%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 80%: Repeat strictures plus aspiration, undernutrition or weight loss, and surgery or PEG tube; 50%: Repeat strictures needing dilation 3+ times a year, steroid dilation, or a stent; 30%: Recurring stricture needing dilation no more than twice…
- What's the typical VA rating awarded for Hiatal Hernia?
- Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Hiatal Hernia at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. Per the VBA Annual Benefits Report (FY2025), 518,630 veterans were receiving VA compensation for Hiatal Hernia as of September 30, 2025. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate (~50%) if symptoms…
- What evidence helps prove Hiatal Hernia for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Hiatal Hernia claim includes: A barium swallow, computerized tomography, or esophagogastroduodenoscopy report — Note (1) names these three studies as how findings must be documented.; Dated dilatation records, including any dilatation performed using steroids, and reports for a stent, surgical co…
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Hiatal Hernia?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Hiatal Hernia: Filing on symptom severity — heartburn, regurgitation, dietary limits — which is not what DC 7203's rows measure, and DC 7346 is rated on those rows.; Leaving procedure history out of the file, since dilatation counts, steroid dilatation, stent placement, surgical correct…
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Hiatal Hernia?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Hiatal Hernia include: GERD, Esophagitis. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.114 — Schedule of ratings — digestive system (Diagnostic Code 7346)
- VBA Annual Benefits Report (FY2025) — veterans service-connected count, as of September 30, 2025
Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
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